On August 1, 2024, Screen Gems and Sony Pictures Entertainment was released on Netflix after its release in May. The film received a predominantly negative reception from critics, with the film currently holding at 18% on Rotten Tomatoes alongside an Audience Score of 59%. In the film, when a group breaks the cardinal rule of tarot, using another person's deck, unleash an evil spirit that is on a mission to kill each of them in the manner of their card reading. Can they avoid their horrible fates? The ensemble cast includes Harriet Slater, Adain Bradley, Avantika Vandanapu, Jacob Batalon, Humberly González, and Larsen Thompson. Below is a small sampling of what the critics said.
Johnny Loftus of Decider: "Don’t expect to be jump scared into your ceiling or anything. Our recommendation is more for the stranger elements of its backstory, and matching each Major Arcana with its corresponding real-world mayhem."
Jeffrey M. Anderson of Common Sense Media: "An ineffective, shameless copy of tons of other "group of friends makes a mistake and gets stalked by a killer one by one" movies, this horror tale offers nothing new, not even a decent homage."
Rachel LaBonte of Screen Rant: "There are just too many elements that ultimately hinder Tarot's execution, from its thin characterizations to its repetitive, dull plot."
Jack Martin of Film Feeder: "Tarot is a creatively bankrupt and passionless horror movie that clearly has studio interference written all over it, from its formulaic and blood-free scares to a surprising cheapness that dilutes any potential it may have otherwise had."
While the horror film is not perfect or destined to be a classic, it is not without some benefits. First and foremost, this is a great entryway into the horror genre for younger viewers. It is the perfect blend of horror, comedy (intentional and unintentional), and jump scares. Secondly, the cast is impressive and I can see them succeeding in Hollywood for years to come. A standout, at least to me, was Jacob Batalon, who already has experienced major success in not only the MCU but also headlined his own show. In short, this is a great one for the upcoming Halloween season for the younger set to dive into the horror genre.
 |
| Photo by Content Pixie on Unsplash |
No comments:
Post a Comment